Researchers at NIST are developing a new imaging technique that combines atomic force microscopy with electron spin resonance to study individual bonding errors in solid-state materials. These bonding errors, which contain unpaired electrons, play a crucial role in determining the macroscale behavior of materials but are difficult to observe directly.
The new approach uses an atomic force microscope tip to both apply high-frequency magnetic fields and detect local changes in impedance caused by spin state transitions in the unpaired electrons. This allows researchers to image and manipulate individual bonding errors in various materials systems, including 2D materials, organic and inorganic semiconductors, and more.
The technique operates in a high-vacuum chamber that can maintain temperatures from cryogenic levels to above room temperature. It also includes a superconducting out-of-plane magnet to polarize spins before manipulation.
This innovative imaging method has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of charge and spin transport in materials, with applications in advanced device technologies, optoelectronics, memory devices, and quantum information science.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/manipulation-and-imaging-dilute-densities-electron-spins
Keywords: Electron spin resonance, Atomic force microscopy, Magnetic moments, Nanoscale, Unpaired electrons
